The Hindu 26.03.2013
ITS signals on BRTS road soon
Intelligent Traffic Signals (ITS) will be installed on Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) road near Satyanarayanapuram very shortly. The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) has made arrangements for installation of the ITS on the BRTS Road and hopes to make them functional within a month.
The signals will be set up at four junctions beginning from Meesala Raja Rao Bridge to Gunadala in the city. The signals would come up at Seetannapeta, Satyanarayanapuram, Food Junction, Madhuranagar Bridge and Padavalarevu Junction.
Exact cost of the signals is not known, but the VMC is taking up this as a pilot project in the city. The ITS will have Closed Circuit (CC) cameras for surveillance purpose.
Expression of interest
The VMC has invited expression of interest (EOI) for installing the ITS. One firm has evinced interest, but, the Corporation, on a pilot basis, has decided to implement it with the cooperation of Prakash Arts, an Ad agency. The project would be extended to other parts of the city in due course, sources said.
CC cameras
The traffic advisory committee and city police commissioner N. Madhusudhan Reddy have suggested installing the CC cameras at the junctions and integrate it with the signalling system. The cameras will help in keeping a tab on traffic violations, crime etc. More so, it will be easy in providing right of way to ambulances as the cameras are linked to signalling system, a VMC official said.
Minor accidents
On the other hand, a ride on the BRTS road has become a cause of concern for the people. Though no major accidents occurred on this stretch of road, minor accidents are recorded now and then at junctions like Madhuranagar Bridge.
Unless the signals were in place and road dynamics were improved there was every chance of major mishap, felt police officials.
Inspection
The VMC and police officials led by Traffic Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Police Ramana inspected the junctions on the BRTS road on Monday.
The signals will be set up at four junctions beginning from Meesala Raja Rao Bridge to Gunadala in Vijayawada.
